The Lightning Storm- The Unknown June challenge
by Grasswing of Wingclan
Summary: Frogpaw has just become an apprentice and dreams of becoming a warrior. One day, a fatal storm may change it all and ruin her chances of being a warrior. Challenge for Nightspirit's The Unknown.


**A/N: Hey guys! I have recently just joined an amazing forum, Nightspirit's Unknown. You guys should definitely check it out! Here is the June challenge and the topic is ****_A new apprentice's first dangerous encounter_****. I do not own warriors, just all the characters.**

Frogpaw sat inside the apprentice's den, listening to the rain drops on the den roof. It was about sun high and the rain hadn't ceased to slow down. "Frogpaw! We are going to practise battle moves!" Possumdust's call came from outside. Muttering under his breath, the pale grey she-cat walked outside, dragging her paws. "Possumdust? Do we have too?" she wined and Possumdust smiled. "What? Are you afraid of getting wet?" she teased and Frogpaw shook her head.

"Then, let's go!" Possumdust began to walk over to the camp entrance with Frogpaw at her heals. A loud booming sound came from the sky and Frogpaw jumped. "W-What was that?" she stammered, slightly scared. "It's only thunder. It won't hurt you," Possumdust explained and they continued to make their way to where the training hollow was. "Let's stop here. This will be fine." Frogpaw was glad that they were finally done walking. "Since you are a new apprentice, I am going to teach you how to do a hunter's crouch," Possumdust said, getting into one.

Frogpaw nodded and tried to copy her mentor. "Like this?" Frogpaw asked, in a wobbly hunter's crouch. The wind blew and almost toppled the young cat over. Possumdust walked over to her apprentice and nudged her paws closer together. Once she had fixed up the crouch, another loud boom came from the sky. Frogpaw looked up at the angry, dark clouds that covered the sky. "C-Can we go back now? I'm scared Possumdust," Frogpaw wailed, pressing herself down to the ground.

Noticing how scared her apprentice was, she nodded. Frogpaw and Possumdust began to make the trek back to camp. This seems longer than on the way to here, Frogpaw thought. Wind whipped at the fur of the two cats and rain poured down, soaking them to the bone. Frogpaw felt her teeth begin to chatter and she longed for her warm nest in the apprentice den. Then a streak of light lit up the dark sky and Frogpaw watched in amazement. "Wow!" she murmured as they continued to walk back to Thunderclan camp.

As Frogpaw was walking, thunder continued to rumble, this time louder than before. Don't be scared, she thought to herself. Thunder can't hurt you. A strong gust of wind blew, knocking her over and she fell in a large mud puddle. Coughing and spluttering, she clambered out of the puddle, mud all over her. The rain had plastered their fur to them and Frogpaw blinked, trying to see properly through the rain.

She looked around, trying to spot her mentor's ginger pelt. "Possumdust?" she cried and got no answer. Instantly, she began to panic. I'm all alone. Lost in the forest during a storm! She looked around wildly; hoping to recognize anything to help her back to camp but all the trees looked the same. "Possumdust!" she cried, her ears pressed against her skull. "Where are you?" she wailed miserably and continued to trudge forward, hoping she was heading in the proper way to camp.

Another flash of lightning lit up the sky and Frogpaw stumbled backwards, surprised at it. It's just lightning, she reminded herself. She continued her trek back to camp and the thunder kept getting worse and worse. Starclan please let Possumdust be okay, she prayed and another flash of lightning appeared. Only this time, it struck a large tree behind her, causing it to go up in flames. Frogpaw turned around, wide eyed at the tree. The smell of smoke entered her nostrils and Frogpaw ran. I have to get back and warn them! The flames from the tree continued to spread to the other trees that were close to it.

The forest is on fire!

She tried to pick up her pace but it was difficult because of the strong winds, threatening to blow her off her paws. Fire crackled on the trees above her as she ran, hoping she could get back in time. Frogpaw broke through the camp entrance, panting. "Fire! Fire in the forest!" she yowled and Vinestar's head popped out from his head. "All cats of Thunderclan! Hurry! We must get to out of camp!" his voice boomed and cats darted out from their dens.

Fire leapt through the camp entrance, setting it up in flames. Vinestar lead his clanmates out of the camp and hurried to catch up with them. She began to cough, and her sight got blurry from the smoke. "Help!" she coughed and tried to escape. She barely made it a few pawsteps before realizing something. She was trapped!

Fire leapt near her paws and her pelt was now a dark grey. The heat singed her muzzle and she let out a whimper. In the distance, she saw a cat leaping through the flames to try to help her. It was too hard for her to see who it was clearly, and a familiar grey pelted cat stood on the other side of the flames. "Help me!" she coughed, feeling dizzy. Slowly, she lay down on the ground, finding it harder to breath. She closed her eyes and let the soothing crackle of the fire lull her.

* * *

"She is badly burned. I don't know if she will make it," a sweet voice said and Frogpaw struggled to open her eyes. "But, she could still be a warrior, right?" Frogpaw's mother said anxiously. "I don't think so." Frogpaw opened her eyes and tried to get to her paws, but the searing pain from her side and leg stopped her. "Lay down. You need to rest," Heronmist murmured, sorting some herbs. "H-How long have I been asleep?" Frogpaw asked, her voice sounding hoarse. "About two sunrises."

Frogpaw looked over at her pelt in shock. Half of the fur was either burnt or missing. "You are lucky to be alive, you know. Vinestar realized that you were missing and went back for you. You were half dead when he found you," Heronmist said. Frogpaw opened her jaws to speak but was interrupted by a series of coughs.

"Here, eat this," Heronmist said, pushing some herbs towards her. Frogpaw slowly gobbled up the herbs, wincing at its bitter taste. "Will I ever be a warrior?" Frogpaw asked after a brief moment of silence. Heronmist let out a sigh, refusing to look at the apprentice. "Well?" Frogpaw pestered and Heronmist took a deep breath. How could I tell her? She can never be a warrior, Heronmist thought miserably.

"Why does it matter so much about being a warrior? I mean, there are other things you can be besides one." Frogpaw looked at Heronmist confused. "What do you mean? Umm… hello? I wanted to be a warrior my whole life. Why would I want to give it up?" Frogpaw purred and Heronmist felt her heart break. "Listen, I talked to Vinestar and he agrees with me that-" Frogpaw narrowed her eyes. "Agreed to what?" she growled and Heronmist sighed.

"You can't be a warrior." Frogpaw chuckled. "Of course I can! I just need to heal." Heronmist shook her head. "Listen, you can't be a warrior. You got too badly injured in the fire and have troubled breathing because of all the smoke you breathed in!" Heronmist hissed, and Frogpaw's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" she whimpered. "Look, I'm sorry," Heronmist murmured and Frogpaw let out a growl. "I don't need herbs or your help! I will be a warrior! I will train every day and I will get my warrior name!" Frogpaw growled, trying to get to her paws. She stood on her paws and tried to take some wobbly steps before falling back into her nest."I wish that this didn't happen to you, Frogpaw. I really wish I could fix it so that you can be a warrior, but it can't." Heronmist hung her head and Frogpaw put her head on her paws, tears streaming down her muzzle. "It's not fair!" The injured apprentice wailed and Heronmist couldn't help but agree. Life wasn't fair.

**A/N: Poor Frogpaw! Tell me what you guys think of it! If you guys want to join a forum, join Nightspirit's forum! It is a really nice forum and I'm sure that you will love it!**

**-Grasswing**


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